Factoring is a financial practice wherein a company sells its accounts receivable (unpaid invoices) to a third party (called a factor) at a discount in exchange for immediate money. When contacted by a prospective seller, factoring companies establish whether or not the potential debtors have a history of paying their bills on time; that is, are they creditworthy?
Factoring companies may actually obtain insurance against the debtor’s becoming bankrupt and thus the invoice not being paid. These factoring services companies consider purchasing invoices only from the invoice seller’s creditworthy debtors. Once the invoices are sold, the debtors are notified to make the payment to the factoring company. Factoring companies also take the responsibility for collection of payments from the debtor and the risk of the debtor not paying in the event the debtor becomes insolvent.
This process of invoice factoring can prove to be exceptionally beneficial if your company is struggling with stability of cash flow. It is also very useful for businesses that feature extreme swings in cash positions such as seasonal businesses like landscaping, tourism and hospitality. Invoice factoring can get you a quick infusion of much-needed cash for your business. Factoring services companies not only give you extra funds for your business, they also save from the burden of collecting on your outstanding invoices. Invoice factoring is beneficial for the factoring companies as well; as they purchase your outstanding invoices at a discount, and once they’ll collect on your invoices, they'll be in profit.
Even though invoice factoring is an extremely beneficial practice it also has some limitations. Most factoring companies also won't pay anything for an invoice that is 90 days or older. If you want to make money off of such an invoice, you might have to send it to a collection agency. Furthermore, if the margins on your sale of products are small, it may become difficult for you to give the discount asked by the factoring services companies. The financial reputation of your company among suppliers might also take a hit due to the arrangement.
When your business is going through a rough phase, you need every advantage you can get. Despite the odds, factoring is a great boon for the companies facing financial instability.
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